Broken, But Not Evil
by SinningBySilence
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: AU from 2x05 "The Doctor"—Daniel's first day in Storybrooke after recovering from Dr. Whale's procedure


_**Another little one-shot that's been sitting on my computer forever. :) Someone on Tumblr gave me this prompt, and I finally finished it. Anyway, I don't think it needs further explanation...**_

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Daniel lay sound asleep in Regina's bed. He had been exhausted when she brought him home after having doctors at the hospital take a look at him. True love's kiss healed him, but she wanted to be certain that Whale's procedure hadn't harmed him in any other way.

She showed him the bathroom when they arrived at her house, making sure to explain how to use the shower, and left him alone to clean up. Once he was out, she had instructed him to rest. There would be plenty of time to talk later. He'd pulled her into the bed with him, and the two had slept curled up in each others arms.

It was almost an hour later when she woke. She smile contentedly at the warmth that surrounded her. Daniel's face was buried into the crook of her neck, and she could feel his breath against the exposed skin there.

Her eyes fluttered open then, and she craned her neck to get a good look at him. He was really here. Next to her. Holding her. It wasn't a dream. And, oh, he was a sight for sore eyes—so peaceful as he slept, a hint of a smile gracing his features.

She could have cried if she wasn't dried out from all the tears she'd shed earlier.

Her moment was ruined, though, when her stomach grumbled loudly. Daniel was probably very hungry too. She didn't want to extract herself from his embrace, but dinner wasn't going to cook itself.

She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead before getting out of bed to straighten herself up.

Once downstairs and in the kitchen, Regina set about searching for ingredients to make a nice soup. She took her time, wanting to give Daniel more time for some much needed sleep, while she chopped vegetables, cut some meat, prepared a broth, and set to cooking. She was just setting the soup to simmer in its pot on the stove when she hear footsteps shuffling behind her.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind while a chin rested on her shoulder. She smiled and sighed contentedly as she leaned into Daniel.

"You disappeared on me," he murmured into her ear. "I was rather enjoying your company."

She turned so she could place a gentle kiss to his lips. "I was enjoying yours, too, but I didn't think it would do any good to go hungry."

"What are you making?" he asked, releasing her so he could investigate the stock pot.

"Beef stew. I figured we could eat something more familiar before we try anything adventurous."

He nodded, and she went to stir the stew. There was a brief silence between the pair before Daniel spoke again.

"So," he began calmly and somewhat awkwardly, "are you going to tell me more about this place? How did we get here? Where _is_ here, anyway?"

At his questions, Regina's heart sank. She'd been dreading this ever since she brought him home. How was she supposed to tell him? How would he feel if he knew who she had become while he was gone? The thought of losing him after getting him back …

"It's a long story," she replied, turning to face him with sad, regretful eyes. When he only looked at her questioningly, she set down the stirring spoon she held and padded over to him, placing a hand on his arm.

"Daniel, you have to understand that losing you was not only painful for me," she continued and looked him straight in the eye. "It set my entire life off-course. It put me in the darkest place imaginable. I had nothing, and I turned to magic thinking it would bring you back. By the time I realized it couldn't, it was too late for me. I had already turned into my mother, and I spent years going after Snow White for telling her about us. I tried to destroy her, to get my revenge. I was the _Evil Queen_, for god's sake! I spent years with the kingdom under my thumb, causing misery and pain because they had happiness that I couldn't have. This land was supposed to be a fresh start."

Daniel frowned and seemed to appraise her for a moment before responding. "But you don't look like an evil queen," he said, stepping closer to her and placing a hand on her cheek. "Broken, yes, but not evil."

"Appearances can be deceiving."

"That doesn't make me love you any less," he whispered, bringing his finger to her chin and lifting her head gently to look into her eyes.

Then his lips were on hers, and everything else seemed to fade away. Oh, how she missed this. Every time he kissed her now seemed to become more surreal than the last. It was impossible for him to be alive. She shouldn't be kissing him, yet … here they were.

Regina was breathless when they broke apart, staring at Daniel as if he were a ghost. When the words refused to come, he spoke again.

"We will get through this, Regina," he promised, taking her hands in his and giving them an affectionate squeeze. "I'm not leaving this time. Whatever you've done, whatever you've been through, I'll be here for you. You won't have to live with that pain anymore."

A small tear rolled down her cheek at his words, and she couldn't help the little smile that crept across her face.

"Oh, Daniel," she sighed and reached up to stroke his cheek with her thumb. "You—you're remarkable. But I couldn't ask you to take all of this on your shoulders. At least not until I know you've fully recovered."

"Then we can help each other," he insisted and pulled her into his arms. "Teach me all about this world while I get my bearings again. Show me how to operate that … carriage thing we rode in. And you said you have a son, so let me meet him. _I want to be a part of this_."

She gaped up at him for a moment. Part of her wanted to resist, to shelter him from the darkness of a lifetime he hadn't seen. Still, she couldn't let him go again, and the only way he was going to function at his best here was with her. And he was willing to fight for her.

"It won't be easy," she cautioned.

He shook his head. "Nothing worth having is ever easy, love."

And as she stood there wrapped in his arms, embracing him as closely as possible while he brushed his fingers through her hair, she could swear that, for the first time in years, there was _hope._

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_**Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Don't be shy! :)**_


End file.
